May 16, 2016

Islamic State exploiting chaos in Yemen

Reuters reports Islamic State efforts to exploit chaos may have brought Saudi-backed forces and Iran-allied Houthis tentatively closer at peace talks in Yemen's civil war, but a deal seems unlikely in time to avert collapse into armed, feuding statelets. Ferocious conflict along Yemen's northern border between Saudi Arabia and Iran-allied Ansurallah, a Shi'ite Muslim revival movement also called the Houthis, defied two previous attempts to seal a peace. But a truce this year and prisoner exchanges mean hopes for a third round of talks are higher. The threat from an emerging common enemy may be galvanizing their efforts. Islamic State appears to be behind a dizzying uptick in suicide attacks and al-Qaeda fighters continue to hold sway over broad swathes of the country that abuts Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter.